...Intercultural Management: Change implementation in the context of national culture Prof. Taina Savolainen School of Business, Management and Leadership, University of Joensuu, Finland taina.savolainen@joensuu.fi ABSTRACT This keynote address considers change implementation in the globalizing business environment in the context of culture. Organizations seek ways to cope with new situations in order to survive and be competitive. The primary strategic challenge in multicultural change processes is managing and implementing change successfully. The paper discusses the means of creating readiness for change and challenges they present to intercultural management. Keywords: Change, coping, culture, intercultural, implementation, middle management, readiness 1.0 Introduction Sustaining competitiveness force business organizations to adapt major changes and seek strategies that may be realized in varying, different cultural environments. This presents challenges to multicultural management, in general, and change implementation processes, specifically. Change implementation does no more concern organizational culture only. It is also dependent on understanding different national cultures and having behavioural skills accordingly. Organizations face, thus, constant challenge of change in management (Ascari, Rock & Dutta, 1995). Economic and social forces create a necessity for internal changes in organizations. Globalizing marketplace and fast technological changes force organizations...
Words: 3836 - Pages: 16
...Cambridge Studies 6 Why Do Change Management Strategies Fail? ---Illustrations with case studies Xiongwei SONG∗ Department of Politics, University of Sheffield ABSTRACT: Change management is crucial to the survival and development of organizations, the more effectively you deal with change, the more likely you are to thrive. However there are a large number of failures of change management. Organizational change itself is a considerably complex activity; any tiny mistake in change management could lead to the failure of organizational change. Consequently this paper is impossible to encompass all factors that could result in the failure of change management. This paper attempts to explain why change management strategies fail from four perspectives (leadership, culture, people issues and quick response) that are major factors to determine whether change management is successful or not. INTRODUCTION Change for organizations both large and small, whether in the private, public or voluntary sectors has been inevitable for the past decades or so. Such trends of organizational change are increasing in frequency, pace, complexity and turbulence under current situation, and there appears to be no sign of abatement. The concrete purposes of change management for different organizations are probably not the same, but the ethos of change management is the same, that is, making the organizations more effective, efficient, and responsive to the turbulent environment changes. Through...
Words: 5241 - Pages: 21
... Assessment task instructions This assessment covers Outcome 2 of Business Culture and Strategy. It is based on the case study of Alphabet Games. Each of the following questions must be correctly answered. In some cases it is possible, to make use of diagrams or tables in your answer. You do not need to do this if you do not feel it is required. However, a diagram or table on its own is not likely to be enough to provide a full answer. If you do use a diagram or table, you will probably need to provide some accompanying explanation or discussion. a Explain the importance of organisational culture to Alphabet Games and suggest an example of where both shared values and taken for granted assumptions contribute to the continued success of Alphabet Games. Using a recognised theoretical model, identify and justify the organisational culture of Alphabet games and assess how this shapes current management approaches. To reflect the changing environments within which Alphabet games operates, suggest a possible alternative organisational culture for the company Games and assess the impact this change in culture would have upon managerial approaches. Using a recognised framework, assess the importance of the relationship of the relationship between organisational culture and organisational behaviour. b c d Scottish Qualifications Authority HN Assessment Exemplar/F7J7 35/AEX001 V1.0 Business Culture and Strategy 11 May 2011 Assessment task 3 Outcomes covered 3, 4 ...
Words: 653 - Pages: 3
...PMO/8515461/Jan14/1 Cox Case study Cox Case study Introduction The change initiated by the owner Harold Cox and is met with a few problems as they move to implement the new operational and cost control for the firm, due increased competition and falling profits due to reduced profits. In this case study, the main problems would be the culture, structure and the strategy for change. To enable us to have a better understanding of these problems we would need more information on the factors that is making the organisation resistant to change, besides the single personnel mentioned. Also a more detailed organisational structure of the organisation, and the current culture of Cox. Analysis Lets begin this section with the first problem that I have identified above which is the culture of the firm. Organisational culture affects not only task issues – how well or badly an organisation performs – but also emotional issues – how workers feel about their work and their companies (Huczynski & Buchanan, 2013). This makes culture important with regards to this change as culture influences the organisational effectiveness and provides direction for the company amongst other things. From the case study, the ownership and control of Cox has remained in hands of the Cox family and most of the employees have been with the firm for more than 10 years. Therefore the culture of the firm would be strong and stable, whereby all the staff are socialised into the culture of the firm. From...
Words: 2859 - Pages: 12
...through Corporate culture Topic 2: Corporate Culture is the attempt to manage the values and emotions of employees so as to align them with the goals of the organisation. What might be difficult and questionable about such an attempt to manage employees? Introduction As it is realized by more and more people, especially executive managers and researchers, corporate culture plays a crucial role in the success of an organization. For many companies that have gained exclusively high fame, exposure and wealth, organizational culture is moreover an invisible property owned by the company. From 1970s, people began to understand the high competition from Japanese industry with unique corporate cultural background. Companies in America were found to behave very much like what happened in Japan (Parker 2000). It is usually known that a strong and positive corporate culture is a true asset under the perspective of economic and accounting. Although its advantages have been identified for decades, difficulties in how to utilize, develop and manage corporate culture remain to be uncertain. In this essay, the argument will be illustrated in three sections. The definition and significance of corporate culture will be introduced in the first section in detail. After that, deficiency of managing corporate culture will be discussed in separated two sections. The first section will talk about difficulties in developing and defining an appropriate organizational culture. The second section...
Words: 2521 - Pages: 11
...The Regency Grand Hotel Case Study: A Managerial and Socio-cultural Approach ------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Executive Summary This analysis reviews the case study of The Regency Grand Hotel following a recent change in the upper management and implementation of a new organisational strategy which has led to the performance deterioration and the increase in customer complaints. The problems are analysed in light of a diverse range of theories and scholarly views regarding the impact of potential factors on organisational performance and profitability foresights. Through theoretical and empirical research, the authors have focused on leadership styles, and the cultural and societal values to analyse the problems at The Regency Grand Hotel. The analysis undertaken brought about a wider and clearer image of the situation both as a whole (macro) and in terms of dissected attributes (micro). The macro problem revolves around cultural differences and imposition of a participative leadership style that did not associate with the socio-cultural dimensions of the organisation. In essence, the case study lead to a common platform entitling that cultural backgrounds and societal factors are the most important factors to be considered before enforcing any managerial strategy. Moreover, a certain level of hierarchy is quiet indispensable in organisations...
Words: 3709 - Pages: 15
...Journal of Business Case Studies – January 2008 Volume 4, Number 1 The Impact Of Organizational Change, Structure And Leadership On Employee Turnover: A Case Study Steven H. Appelbaum, Concordia University, Canada André Mitraud, MBA, Canada Jean-François Gailleur, MBA, Canada Marcello Iacovella, MBA, Canada Raffaele Gerbasi, MBA, Canada Victoria Ivanova, MBA, Canada ABSTRACT Purpose - To provide the management team at BTSA Ltd with a practical guideline in managing organizational change through a designated lead change agent. Design/Methodology/approach - This guideline was developed by analyzing various organizational behaviour variables which included organizational structure, leadership and organizational culture. The objective of the case study is to provide a pragmatic approach to dealing with transformational change, particularly the role and responsibility of leadership. Findings – This case identifies a distinct correlation between each above stated variables and productivity/citizenship factors among employees. As a result of the takeover by an international conglomerate, BTSA Ltd was facing major changes and sustained a high level of employee turnover within the company, including the abrupt departure of their lead change agent. This resulted in a sharp decrease in TQM initiatives and major slowdown in R&D projects. The key findings have determined the core elements which explained the turnover issue and the impact of organizational change (for a small Canadian...
Words: 8024 - Pages: 33
...people or society from different regions or the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement. Culture is like mental software and it has been defined as “the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others” Geert Hofstede, (2009). Culture diversity and multiculturalism are the problems faced by business firms who tried to do business globally. Cultural diversity related to variety of human societies like dress, language, traditions and cultures on a particular region or particular part of the world or as a whole, while multiculturalism with organizational promotion of multiple cultures. Multiple cultures mean giving respect to different types of culture at same time. All the aspects regarding the culture have to be considered when a concern is going to launch its products globally. So in the case of international business, understanding culture of different countries is important because then only a company can put forward its globalization strategies, marketing strategies as well as organization structure. Without proper foundation a company can’t keep moving globally and launch products since cultural world operates in its own internal dynamic, its own principles and its own law-written and unwritten. Understand words, material things and behaviour since culture is communication. Understanding the VINEETH KAKKANATTU AYYAPPAN: 000697414 4 cultural differences is not an easy...
Words: 3407 - Pages: 14
...Section 1 Organizational Culture: set of artifacts, values and assumption that emerge from the interaction of organizational members Open social system operating a dynamic environment. CRITERIA to identify something as culture: 1. Deeply felt or held 2. Commonly intelligible 1. Accessible to a cultural group Organization = Ordered and purposeful interaction among people. Purposeful, because its members produce (supero-rdinative) goal-directed activities. Organizational communication is a continuous process through which organizational members create, maintain and change the organization. (it includes business communication) N.B. All organizational members take place in it; messages are produced to create a shared meaning of messages, but it is not always achieved. Those messages vary in form according to various factors (power distances, roles, goal, method, non-verbal), and to be fully understood have to be considered in their contexts Culture: "the collective programming if the mind that DISTINGUISHES the members of one group tor category of people from another" (Hofstede 2001) Is both a process and a product; is confining (imitates groups) and facilitating (gives us a way to better understand what is happening) Cultural Symbol = physical indicators of organizational life (Rafaeli & Worline 2000) ARTIFACTS: visible/tangible, are also part of them norms, standards, customs and social convention. Norms: pattern of behaviors or communication...
Words: 18112 - Pages: 73
...Change and Culture Case Study I Nikiah C. Roberson HCS/514 Monday September 24, 2012 Dr. Kinaro Change and Culture Case Study I Case Study Robbins Hospital has been competing with Smith Hospital for over a decade. Robbins offers both in and outpatient services including day surgery, wound care, and physical and occupational therapy. Robbins is one of the oldest hospitals in Savannah and is currently being updated with state-of-the-art technology. Smith is more modern, with technology such as telemedicine, PET scans, and the use of the electronic medical records program. Robbins has constantly honored itself on the great quality of care provided to its patients. Smith on the other hand, is known for giving the kind of care to patients that is not always of good quality. Over the last decade a merger took place between Robbins Hospital and Smith Hospital, joining Robbins who has a high quality of patient care with Smith who has modern technology. The newly named hospital will be called Robbins/Smith Hospital. The administrator who has been an administrator at Robbins for more than a decade will have the task of creating an organizational culture that will not only meet the needs of staff, but also provide quality patient care. The administrator at Smith Hospital has a duty to direct the group of employees as one in a way that forms a positive and comfortable work environment. The purpose must focus on the mission and goals of the newly merged facility, with...
Words: 1436 - Pages: 6
...Project Failure Case Studies and Suggestion Nilofur Abbasi Iqra Wajid Zahra Iqbal Fareeha Zafar, M.phill Business Administration, Kinnaird College Lahore, Pakistan M.phill Business Administration, Kinnaird College Lahore, Pakistan M.phill Business Administration, Kinnaird College Lahore, Pakistan Ph.D University of Derby, Currently Working in Govt. College University Lahore Pakistan ABSTRACT In this research paper three different case studies are taken under consideration. Step by step all three cases are described. These cases are about projects which had to face failure. Therefore, the reasons for failure of projects are identified and recommendations are given to ail failing projects. First case study is about British Petroleum which is oil and Gas Company had to face situation which was not just critical but new for any oil company. The incident occurred due to explosion in the deep-water horizon while BP technical staff was trying to drill a well. Moreover, BP was not able to stop oil flow for three months. Second case is about Chrysler and Fiat. Both were automobile companies and had to face failure. Marchionne was the one who saved both companies. The main focus of this case is merger of these two companies and the challenges faced by CEO due to organizational change after merger. Third case study is about Millennium Dome, one of the controversial projects in the history of construction projects because of number of reasons. With the help of case study we will be able...
Words: 4459 - Pages: 18
...Case Study: Grayson Chemical Company Presented by: Allan Bermudez Marlon Abito Zarny Zaragoza CASE STUDY: Grayson Chemical Co. Executive Summary: Grayson Chemical Co, a 40-year old company manufactures industrial chemicals sold to other industrial companies. It has been run by a stable management in which there had only been two presidents. However, within the past few years, the company is suffering from declining earnings and sales. This has brought pressure from the board of directors, investment bankers, and stockholder groups to name a new president. The company had become stagnant – (although at Grayson, they refer to this as conservative) and had steadily lost market standing and profitability. Finally, the board decided to hire a new CEO and was able to hire a dynamic manager from another major corporation. CASE STUDY: Grayson Chemical Co. Tom Baker, 47 and an MBA, has helped his former company into a leadership position. He has chosen to join Grayson after another executive was chosen for the top job in his former company. Baker knows what he needs to do and that is to develop a topnotch management team that could provide leadership to turn the company around. Unfortunately, the situation at Grayson is not very favorable. Decisions are made by the book or taken to the next higher level. Things were done because “they have always been done this way,” and incompetent managers were often promoted to higher level jobs. Baker met with three members of the board...
Words: 1202 - Pages: 5
...A. Compare the cultures of the two companies using the relevant values in the attached “Competing Values Framework.” The Competing Values Framework model was developed for cultural assessments of organizations that shows the effectiveness in a two dimensional layout. In the Competing Values Framework model, there are four culture representations, Adhocracy, Clan, Market and Hierarchy. The Symphony and the Opera fit into one of the categories as individual organizations. More will be discussed on which category each belongs in, plus a comparison with each of the other three cultures. Included in the Competing Values map is two other cultural dimensions. The Horizontal dimension is located on the left of the model and maps out the inward or internal focus and integration. The primary attention focuses inward within the company or organization. When environments are less competitive and focused on the customer, internal focus is the most important dimension element. The outward or external focus and differentiation is located to the right of the model. The focus is primarily outwards, to the external environment, customers and suppliers. The Vertical dimension is located at the top and bottom of the model. This lower axis has more to do with who makes the decisions. At the bottom of the model, is Stability and Control which is geared more to management control. While at the top is Flexibility and Discretion which empowers employees to make decisions...
Words: 2430 - Pages: 10
...Case Study 8.2:Corporate Cultural Changes at Steel-Roll According to the case study 8.2: Corporate Cultural Changes at Steel-Roll, they had a survey of employees that the result are about the problems of conflict between new managers and employees. This essay will discuss the reasons for the problem, type of corporate cultures, culture dimensions faced by CEO and any suggestions. The main problem of this case is misunderstanding of culture change that we can say in three reasons. The culture of an organization defines appropriate behaviors, bonds and motivates individuals and asserts solutions where is ambiguity(Dumetz, 2012, p 232). First of all, the company appointed several new managers who graduated from Western country that means their thinking was different from Russian people. Second, corporate’s goal and objective was not clear. Most employees did not conceive the vision and mission of their company. To be good corporate culture, all people in the company should work together to achieve the organization's goals (p 228). The last reason making the conflict was the role of leader or CEO. He can not remember the values and mission’s company that means he ignore and did not concern the importance of organization culture. This is the result of low level of loyalty making employees had a gossip and nepotism. Moving onto the discussion of stereotype of corporate culture. There are four types that are derived from two related dimensions; task or person (high VS...
Words: 462 - Pages: 2
...Master of Business Administration (MBA) LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY at ESOFT Metro Campus, Sri Lanka Academic Year 2014-15 MN7127ES: Change Management and Consultancy Assessment 1: Individual Report Strategic Change Case Study: GreenHealth-Cranberry1 Merger ABSTARCT This report contains the analysis of the case study of merger process of two UK based parasitical companies, GreenHealth and Cranberry. This report discuss deep inside analysis of two companies during the pre-merger stage and post-merger stage. Balogun and Hope Hailey’s Change Kaleidoscope model, Jonson’s Cultural Web Model and Kotter’s Change Steps has consider for this analysis. Contents 1.0 Introduction: 4 2.0 Case Study Analysis 5 2.1 strategic change context in January 2012, at the start of the merger process 5 2.2 compare and contrast the culture of GreenHealth and Cranberry before the merger (2011) with the new GreenHealth-Cranberry after the merger 8 (2013). 2.3 Critical evaluation of the change process that took place during 2012-13 11 3.0 Conclusion 14 4.0 Reference 15 1. Introduction GreenHealth is a UK based manufacture of vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements based on Reading, England. Company established in 1902 family owned company and currently employs 930 staff. Total revenue in 2011 is £237 million. GreenHealth’s products sold through high street retailers such as Holland and Barrett, and...
Words: 3259 - Pages: 14
